by NYC Private Schools on March 2, 2010
Having options is a basic factor in our society and having and selecting between your NYC Private School options is important even down to the very last minute of your decision. If your child has received an acceptance from their Top Choice school then there probably isn’t too much of a decision left. If, however, your child has received admissions to two schools then you have a few more choices to make before taking that final step.
Multi-School Options
There are some ways to help you make your decision regarding which school to pick.
- Visit the school again to help your child (and you!) get a more official feel for what it would be like there.
- Consider tuition costs, additional fees for sports, afterschool programs or expected donations.
- Look at the transportation to and from the school and how much time your child may spend “in transit” rather than in school or at home. You may be surprised at how often this is a deal breaker for some families!
- If you have experienced a change in your Financial Status since you first applied, or expect to experience one soon due to unstable job markets, don’t hesitate to talk to your school counselor about the possibility of Financial Aid.
When the worlds of choices are opened up, they can often seem to multiply again and again until it is difficult to choose at all. Take our advice and break down the aspects of choice that matter to you and then compare.
by NYC Private Schools on February 26, 2010
The tests used by many schools to determine admissions to private schools can offer up conflicting and sometimes unexpected results. There are different tests for just about every age group and school type. There are tests for elementary, middle and high school Private Schools, tests for Catholic Schools and Public School gifted and talented programs. It seems that no matter where you go there is a test to determine your child’s ability to satisfy the rigors of a particular academic program.
The ISEE is one of the admissions tests that are used by many Private Schools. Though taken at the different levels, generally you can say that the ISEE consists of an essay and standardized verbal and quantitative reasoning tests that measure a student’s capability for learning, and reading comprehension and mathematics. Test results are supposed to give specific information about an individual student’s strengths and weaknesses.
Not every family is satisfied with the ISEE results, however. One Private School parent said:
Our son just had a bad day the day that he took the test. He woke up miserable; he was uncharacteristically tired and moody even though we had made sure that he was well rested the night before the test. We had to accept his rather miserable scores that day and move on. He wasn’t eligible to retake the ISEE for 6th months and the school received the score because he had to put down the school code when he signed up for the test. We had to rely on a great interview and rock solid application.
Another family, who had a child take a popular IQ test used by many schools, said:
Our daughter’s results weren’t just “Not top tier,” they were below average. It may have been the single most disappointing moment I have had as a parent. How would any school look past a below average score to see the bright, inquisitive but inconsistent child, a child so ready and happy to learn but still young enough to be distracted by a sunny day outside?
In the end, both of these children were accepted into the schools that they applied to, to the somewhat amazed delight of their parents. While testing is a crucial part of the Private School admissions process, the right school will look at the child beyond the scores.
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